Comments on: Just Getting Started

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 01:45:19 +0000

Love the earrings Darci! I’m also a late bloomer…45, I just discovered my passion 3 months ago. My Grandfather made jewelry from polished rocks when I was a child, and I never appreciated his work and his passion, but now that he’s long gone, I get what he loved about it. I’ve never had children and I feel like I’ve always been missing something, but I found something I will never get tired of even if I never sell a thing again, I LOVE getting up each day and trying something new. You seem to be in a great place. Good luck with your online shop! And to Nessa…welcome! This is a wonderful place !

By: Nessa

Nessa — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 16:04:43 +0000

This is my first issue of this newsletter and I found all the stories to be inspiring and connecting. My husband passed away in June and we had moved back to the area he was born in. For me it proved to be such a lonely time, his illness left us isolated and I not being from the area or even the culture felt completely alone. Depression was the result. They wanted me to take medication and I refused, instead I turned to what had always helped me. Creativity. We were broke and I bought a $ 2 bag of jump rings and discovered chain maille. I had done beadwork when I was younger and I began to learn weaves and to combine with beads and wire work. When I am feeling blue I turn to this. Maybe I wil sell, maybe not. I gift much of what I make, the experience is what keeps me going. I still am lonely in this small Southern town, but reading the stories posted here I feel a connection with you all without having met you. Beautiful pieces from beautiful souls.

By: Ann L.

Ann L. — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 16:05:42 +0000

Thanks for sharing your story. Can you believe how many women have had the same experience?

I wish you had included more photos (hint, hint).

By: Betty Hill

Betty Hill — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 14:57:53 +0000

I love your earrings Darcy. It’s never too late to do what you have a passion for. I started making and selling my jewelry when I was 67 and I am 75 now and love what I do. So you younger girls…more power to you that you have found your love.

By: Alice

Alice — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 01:17:13 +0000

I started making jewelry last year at the age of 53. I love being creative and also find it very relaxing. Two years ago my purse was stolen and started having anxiety, depression and panic attacks. I found it very hard to focus. Making (and selling!) my pieces have given me something positive to focus on and given me confidence back!

By: OLGA

OLGA — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 17:57:11 +0000

I AM TAKING MY FIRST STEPS SEROIOUSLY IN MAKING HAND MADE JEWERLY, I FEEL USEFULL, CREATIVE, IT WAKES UP MY DENTISTRY SKILLS AND BACKGROUND…..WRAPPING ON WIRE, BEADS, STONES ,MAKING GEOMETRICS FIGURES IS AMAZING, AND DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOU MAKE WITH YOUR HANDS ..THE FIRST STARTING IS THE KEY..
GOD BLESS ALL THE WOMAN DOING SOME..

By: Deb H.

Deb H. — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:13:55 +0000

I have to add to the “late bloomer” comments. I turned 56 in January. Up until last year, I worked in the corporate world in fairly high-stress positions, with a lot of travel. Some changes occurred in my company leaving me semi-retired part of last year and fully-retired as of February this year. Christmas of 2011 my daughter gave me a jewelry-making kit of the local craft store variety and I have been totally and unashamedly hooked on jewelry making ever since. While money was coming in, I took classes, bought oodles and oodles of books, DVD’s, on-line classes, beads, wire, threads, enamels, tools (oh, and how I love my tools!), etc. so I’d have enough to continue my new passion when the money stopped. This year, I hope to start a business in earnest with both on-line and craft fairs as my selling venues. As a different article on this site indicated, it’s hard finding a niche because I’ve learned soooo much in such a short time that it’s hard to decide what I like best. I’ve decided to just play with all my supplies and let the creative juices flow.

A few years ago, I lost my father who worked very hard and long hours all his life up until retirement age. He had a few good years of retirement and then ended up with dementia which worsened quickly and he spent the last several years of his life in a health-care facility for dementia/alzheimers patients. I decided then that life is too short and I didn’t want to work all the way to normal retirement age only to have no time to really enjoy life or something I was passionate about. So, I feel I am fortunate to have found my passion and also to have enough means to support myself while I start on this new found passion. Hope I can make a go at it, but even if not, I will continue to make jewelry as long as I am able to :-). Dad unknowingly taught me that you need to enjoy life and all it can offer you while you have the time and ability to do so.

By: Rena Klingenberg

Rena Klingenberg — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:52:27 +0000

Thank you all for your kind words and for sharing your wonderful “late bloomer” stories! I think our creativity really does shift into a fantastic new gear as we move into our mid-life and beyond. And when it’s combined with our life experiences and self-discovery, it makes our lives blossom.

By: Darlene

Darlene — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:26:17 +0000

Thanks for the inspiration! I am TRYING to start my own at-home jewelry business, but my full-time (with plenty of over-time!) job keeps me from truly diving in. I am turning 50 this year, so really appreciate all the posts from crafters of all ages. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Rena, for this website!

By: Donna D

Donna D — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 04:05:26 +0000

Ladies I just turned 62 and am seriously learning to make jewelry to sell. I have done 1 craft or another most of my adult life but this is my niche. I’m good at what I have learned (or think I’m good anyway) and can’t wait to learn more. My thought is if you enjoy doing anything or want to try, do it NOW. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring so we should do it today.
I wish you all luck and I love seeing all of the beatiful things you share. I learn something from everything I see. And Rena you are wonderful to teach us and share with us.

By: Janis

Janis — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:48:31 +0000

Lovely to hear from you Karen. Time to take care of your own well being now and what a great way to do this. I call it active meditation and this can only be positive.

By: Karen

Karen — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 01:43:09 +0000

I’ve always had those “creative juices” flowing around wanting to be used, but it took lupus and “burnout” to decide to try to make a business of it. My biggest issue right now is trying to get my website up and running without bunches of money.

I just turned 59. I was diagnosed with lupus in 2000, between the last two semesters of working on my Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling. I started my own business doing case management with persons with disabilities, but after doing it for 8 years with constant change, the stress is affecting my lupus negatively, so we decided it would be best for me to retire.

I have been making jewelry to relax for awhile now, sold some, and have experimented with photography of my pieces, and now am working on learning to do a website.

Anyhow, I was inspired by people’s stories of being “late bloomers”, and thought maybe you’d like to hear mine too.. people in jewelry making are so wonderful, and helpful! I LOVE this newsletter! Thank you everyone!

By: Janis

Janis — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:20:55 +0000

Wow ladies, this is great, I am a late bloomer and can tell you 50s + gets even better. Creativity bursts forth and within it a real sense of self. I have had creative pursuits in glass art since 40, but jewellery only entered my life 4 years ago. This is indeed a great site and I agree, we all will thrive and grow through sharing. Love your business name Darcy. I too love wire work.

By: Liz

Liz — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:33:24 +0000

I LOVE your goddess earrings! Would you mind telling me the stones you used? I’m trying to learn as much as I can about gemstones – since I lucked into a mother lode (pun sort of intended) when my daughter moved into a house with a lot of abandoned property in the shed.

Among the items were the most beautiful (I am not kidding) clear quartz crystal balls and geodes; an obsidian geode the size of a small mixing bowl; an amethyst geode, a real natural (no wax, no oil, no dye) turquoise nuggett almost the size of a ping pong ball – plus several types of agates and jaspers, clear quartz crystal points perfect for wrapped pendants, smoky quartz, and at least a dozen I can’t identify but I’m working on it. Most of them are in my rock tumbler as I write. Beautiful use of wire and gemstones and I especially love its concept. Plus your blog is great!

By: Kathi UNIQUELY YOURS

Kathi UNIQUELY YOURS — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:29:04 +0000

I too am just getting started {and just turned 38}. I have been in the corporate world for many years; I used to do kitchen design and that fulfilled my creative “itch” but designing and remodeling kitchens ended over 6 years ago when the housing market bottomed out.

In January of this year I started purchasing other people hand-crafted jewelry and attempted to sell it but it was getting way too expensive and I wasn’t able to make a profit.

I have always been artistic and have passion for color so I decided to teach myself how to make jewelry (and this site has helped me learn how to sell it). So far I have done two shows with a few more scheduled and I am currently working on photographing my jewelry and starting an Etsy shop…and I have even received a few custom orders!

I know what it feels like to finally find something that you have intense passion for; now I guess we just continue to learn and hopefully one day be super successful! Good luck to everyone out there and thank you for continously sharing your ideas and inspirations.